Improvement in chopping-blocks



H. ANDERSON;

Mapping-Blocks. v, N0 ]5],554. -Pa-tentedlune 2,1874.

UNITED STATES PA'rEN'r` OFFICE.

HENRY ANDERSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHOPPING-BLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 151,554, dated June 2,1874; application filed July 2, 1873.

tightening-baml, and made to tit onto a table,

consisting ot' a metallic plate provided with sockets, into which woodenlegs are secured, the whole forming an adjustable block, on

which meat, &c., can be cut, as a substitute for ordinary butcher,kitchen, or other blocks, wherein no mechanical attachments for choppingpurposes are employed.

Figure l is a perspective view of a chopping-block embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the central line of thetop part of Fig. l, showing how the pieces of woodconstituting the blockare doweled together, as well as the plate provided with sockets formingpart ofthe table. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of threerectangularlyshaped pieces ot' wood, partly detached, such as may beemployed for the construction of these adjustable chopping-blocks. Fig.4 is a perspective view of angular pieces of wood for making square orrectangular blocks, partly detached, as in Fin: 3.

A A is the block, which may be round, square, rectangular, or of anysuitable shape, and consists or is built up of several pieces oi' hardwood, a a, shaped perfectly true, so as to it closely to one another,and be placed together in such manner as to expose a level face acrosstheir grain, with a hard surface for 4chopping purposes. Near thebottom, or at about onequarter of their height from the bottom, holesare pierced in every fitting side of each of these small pieces orblocks, so that they may be doweled to one another by means of smallwooden pegs b, after the usual manner adopted in the doweling of piecesof wood together,

and this block A A, when composed of several such doweled smaller blocksa, each dependent on and supporting its neighbor, forms, when boundtogether, a slab resembling` a single solid piece. In order to bindthese doweled pieces a together, a band or strap, B, is provided totheshape of the block A A, and tits into an outer circumscribed groove, thepieces a being pressed together by a screw, s, made to draw the lugs llof this band B nearer each other, till the block A A presents alevelsurface, free from cracks or openings at the top. The block thus boundtogether has another encompassing groove made at the bottom, so as toallow ot' its tting into the table or stand T, especially prepared toreceive it. rlhis table T consists of a iiat plate ot' metal, p p, forthe block A A to rest on, a rim, r, to tit the groove last mentioned,and, beneath, four sockets, S S, with tapering holes h h, prepared forthe wooden legs L L. These legs L L are secured by means oi" small pinsc, that it into holes provided in the sockets, but only catch in notchesformed on one side of the legs, and t'or further stability small screwsa a fasten the block A A to the rim i of the plate p p.

By this arrangement of a composite chopping-block the several pieces a,as they are worn, can be removed, and fresh ones, according to theirnumbered size, substituted. Bad meat, also, cannot collect in any cracksin the surfaceiof the block, or in the grooves between the rim r or bandB, the former of which is very liable to occur in ordinary butchersblocks, which crack from shrinkage.

WV hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

rlhe chopping-block A A, composed of severa-l smaller pieces, a a a,doweled to one another in the manner described, in combination with atightening-band, B, and metallic table T, provided with rim r, sockets ss, and legs L L, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore setforth.

Witnesses: HENRY ANDERSON.

ALFRED C. CRANE, LIONEL VARroAs.

